1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to record medium assemblies useful in high density storage of information by optical writing and/or reading, and more particularly to improved configurations for optical disk assembly retaining rings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The currently preferred optical disk technology employs disk elements with spiral or concentric tracks of minute (e.g., on the order of a micron or less in size), optically-detectable marks. One real-time mode of recording (writing) such marks is by scanning tracks on the disk with an equivalently small beam of radiation (e.g., from a laser) which is modulated "off or on" according to an electrical signal representative of the information to be written. Information is recovered (read) by scanning the tracks with the same size or only slightly larger, but still very tightly focused, radiation (e.g. light) spot. The recovered information is in the form of a fluctuating electrical signal obtained from a photodetector that senses the read-out light reflected from the recorded disk.
In order to write and read information in the form of such minute markings, optical systems of high numerical aperture are used to focus light to equivalently minute spots. Such optical systems have extremely small depths of focus and the proper positional relation between the writing or reading optical system, and the optical disk record surface must be stringently maintained both smooth and flat.
One approach to achieve requisite smoothness, flatness and protective requirements for high density storage of information is disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,258, issued Dec. 21, 1982 to F. F. Geyer and E. M. Leonard. In that approach an improved optical disk assembly adapted for high density storage of information comprises (i) a flexible, disk-shaped support carrying a record layer; (ii) a transparent disk-shaped cover sheet opposing the record layer, and (iii) an annular retaining ring for holding the support and cover sheet in circumferentially-symmetric tension.
Commonly-assigned, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 438,565, filed Nov. 3, 1982 in the names of K. G. Budinski and K. F. Brandon discloses an optical disk assembly having a pair of formed metal ring members which close together upon opposite sides of the support web. Cooperative surfaces on the ring members provide a locking interfit to inhibit separation of the ring members. Although the formed metal ring members have proven to be highly successful, they do require close manufacturing tolerances to ensure a proper locking interfit. These drawbacks have been partially overcome by the optical disk assembly by providing one preformed ring member with an annular undercut recess, and a second, malleable ring member which can be deformed into the recess undercut to interlock with the first ring member. Because the second ring member is malleable and deformed, manufacturing tolerances can be relaxed somewhat to enhance manufacturability.